


Screwed Up

by Cornish_Coast (orphan_account)



Series: Jal Anecdotes [1]
Category: Doc Martin (TV)
Genre: Ice Cream, M/M, Self Confidence Issues, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-23
Updated: 2016-07-23
Packaged: 2018-07-26 03:07:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7557769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Cornish_Coast
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Al comes back from his dad's campsite, he finds a broken policeman with an ice cream in each hand.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Screwed Up

Overlooking the beautiful Cornish seaside view from the cliffside road, Al drove back from seeing his dad, sea breeze on his skin, rushing through the open window, pricking at the tears in his eyes. Everything had just gone from bad to worse; he had no bookings for his fishing experience this month, he'd buggered up a radio interview about said experience, and then he'd found his dad moping at a cliffside about his fiancé dumping him. Much more and Al would hit breaking point.

 _I could pull the steering wheel..._ He glanced at the edge of the road to the drop below. There was a railing, but it was nothing if his car swerved at it. Or through it.

The Large boy grit his teeth. He was better than that... wasn't he? Mum wouldn't want to see him yet. At the thought of his mum, who died when he was born, he let out a strangled sob. _Oh my. Too deep. Please stop thinking. I liked it better when my car had sound..._

He stopped the car next to his cottage and stepped out of it, locking it as he pushed the door shut. He looked down the street and saw Joe sitting on a bench, facing away from the sea breeze. Just looking at him hurt; the love he could never have.

He smiled and put his hand up in greeting. 'Alright?' he said.

Joe looked up at him from staring at the pavement and smiled a strained smile. 'Hi,' he grunted. Al saw that he held an ice cream in each hand, he wondered who the second one had been for. At the thought, his heart hurt: did Joe have a mystery woman?

Swallowing his thoughts, he went over and sat beside his friend. 'Wanna talk about it?' he asked, putting a hand on the policeman's arm.

Joe looked up at him, forlornly. 'Am I really that disgusting?' he asked, shoving the chocolate ice cream into Al's hand.

The Large boy could do nothing but gape and grasp the cone of the treat that he was forced into holding. 'No...' he murmured.

'Then why am I practically girl-repellent?'

Despite himself, Al smiled. 'I feel ya, mate.' _I wish_ , he thought to himself. _Oh, God, oh, no... er... Dad fucking Jennifer, come on, Dad fucking Jennifer... ew, that's done it..._

Joe let out a ragged sigh. 'Maybe finding a boyfriend would be easier,' he groused, bitterly.

The younger man coughed and nearly choked on his ice cream. 'W... What?' he gasped.

'O-oh...' the policeman stuttered, flushing. 'I... um... I'm bi...' he confessed, cheeks flaming.

He couldn't believe it. There was a slight chance. Anything was better than nothing. He could tell him now. Right now. He could grasp that man's hand and look him in the eyes and... no... no, he couldn't... he was too much of a coward...

'Okay,' Al said, shrugging.

'Okay?' Joe questioned. 'How can you be so cool with me being half of a poof?'

'Love is love,' the Large son said, 'I wouldn't care if you were straight, gay, transgender, demisexual, asexual, aromantic, pansexual, or anything; I love you for you, not because of who _you_ love.'

The policeman smiled. 'Thank you,' he said, quietly, putting his hand on Al's leg. 'I've never really... been comfortable with liking men. I tried to hide it as best I could, but sometimes... I'm just caught off-guard.'

'Is there... anyone you fancy?' The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. And even though he knew the words wouldn't be, he still hoped that Joe might say, ' _You_.'

'He... um... he's not gay,' the older man stuttered, 'at least, I don't think so. Sometimes, I see him look at me and all I can think is-' he looked into Al's eyes, piercing his very soul - ' _He thinks I'm an idiot_... I can't say I blame him.'

The first person who came into Al's mind astonished him. 'The Doc?' he asked, before he could think about it.

Joe spluttered with laughter. 'Him?! You've gotta be joking!' he came down from his hysterics - 'no... he's younger than me.'

'Ooh, got yourself a toy boy then?' Al teased.

'I'd like to think I might... one day.'

And Joe looked at him then like no one else had and suddenly, Al knew.

'Oh, God...' he said, gaping. 'It's me...'

The policeman's face turned bright red. Without saying a thing, he jumped from his seat and ran off down the street.

The Large son wasn't having that. He leapt up and raced after the fleeing copper.

'Stop!' Al called, 'come on, Joe, talk to me!' His legs were hurting with the downhill run; although Joe was older, he was certainly a lot quicker and fitter, legs eating up the road with ease.

He couldn't do anything more than just run a little quicker, push a little harder.

Finally, finally, Joe slowed down and Al thumped to a stop, grasping the policeman's shoulders. 'Joe...' he panted, looking into the other's face.

_Oh, to hell with it._

Closing his eyes, the Large son moved forward, hand going to the back of Joe's head, other holding onto his shoulder, and he pressed his lips to the policeman's. He lingered for mere seconds and then pulled away. 'I have loved you since I first met you,' he whispered, 'now it's time to requite that love.'

Joe grinned, and caressed Al's face. Without saying a word, he captured the other's lips with his and kissed him like it was going out of fashion. Al readily returned it.

**Author's Note:**

>  _I could pull the steering wheel..._  
>  _Oh my/Too deep/Please stop thinking/I liked it better when my car had sound..._  
>  from Twenty Øne Pilots' Car Radio.


End file.
